VMs are immensely faster when running inside a RAMDisk, however, when running a VM inside a RAMDISK I can't create snapshots.
For example I have a 3GB XP VM and a 700MB ISO inside a 5GB RamDISK. (ImDisk is a great Ramdisk)
Its not possible to create a snapshot. Even when powered off.
This makes no sense because the snapshot uses little space once created, but it seems you need a lot more space while creating the snapshot.
The error message is also crap. It doesn't say "You don't have enough free space" it gives some arbitrary error message.
The performance is worthwhile for adding the functionality. Its at least 3-10x faster.
VMWare should detect that it is running inside a logical disk (not on a physical disk) and it should ask "Do you want to put temporary snapshot files somewhere else?"
Or it can simply detect that there is not enough free space and put the temp files somewhere else instead of failing miserably and mysteriously.
Infact Workstation should do away with me needing to use a RamDisk Entirely
Workstation should give me an option to run a VM and its ISO as much from memory as possible. I've got 16GB of RAM and will upgrade to 32GB soon.
Memory is becoming more and more abundant. Its time to take advantage of it.
I want to see a tickbox "Run this VM in RAM as much as possible"
"Cache this ISO in RAM as much as possible"
Yes windows 7 is supposed to be good at caching etc, but try a RAMdisk out. The proof of the pudding is in the eating.
Thats my 2c. Thanks for reading.